Editing Star Wars sources and analogues (section)

===Literature===
[[File:The marriage of King Arthur by Lancelot Speed.jpg|thumb|The legendary [[King Arthur]] (illustrated in the center) has a significant parallel to Luke Skywalker as a young orphaned hero embarking on a journey to restore peace and justice to his society. Arthur's use of his sword [[Excalibur]] as a tool of achieving objectives is reflected by Luke's use of his [[lightsaber]] in the same manner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/studying-skywalkers-excalibur-and-the-lightsaber|title=Studying Skywalkers: Excalibur and the Lightsaber - StarWars.com|date=3 June 2016}}</ref>]]
<!--In a biography written shortly after the original ''Star Wars'' was released, George Lucas acknowledged the influence of [[science fiction]] literature and particularly the works of [[E. E. Smith|Edward Elmer "E. E. Doc" Smith]].<ref>citation required</ref> -->
* [[Joseph Campbell]]'s [[comparative mythology]] book ''[[The Hero with a Thousand Faces]]'', directly influenced Lucas, and is what drove him to create the "modern myth" of ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/2015/11/07/the_heros_journey_the_idea_you_never_knew_had_shaped_star_wars/ |website=[[Salon (website)|Salon]] |title=The Hero's Journey: The idea you never knew had shaped ''Star Wars'' |first=John |last=Higgs |date=November 7, 2015 |access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/mythic-discovery-within-the-inner-reaches-of-outer-space-joseph-campbell-meets-george-lucas-part-i |publisher=StarWars.com |title=MYTHIC DISCOVERY WITHIN THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE: JOSEPH CAMPBELL MEETS GEORGE LUCAS – PART I |first=Lucas O. |last=Seastrom |date=October 22, 2015 |access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref>
* [[E.E. Smith|E.E. 'Doc' Smith]]'s writings contain elements central to the ''Star Wars'' universe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wookie books: the science fiction that inspired George Lucas's Star Wars|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/dec/04/sci-fi-books-inspired-star-wars-legend-george-lucas-force-awakens|website=The Guardian|date=December 4, 2015}}</ref> These elements include:
** Spherical, moon-sized spaceships.
** Smaller, spherical, jet-less fighters with accumulators for beamed power.
** [[Spacehounds of IPC]] includes light swords of slicing "blade of flame" and "planes of force" wielded by spherical ships, also attested in melee combat. 
** Smith's [[Lensman series|Lensmen]] have the telepathic powers of the Jedi derived from crystalline lenses mirroring [[Kyber crystals]] in ''Star Wars''.
** In ''[[Triplanetary (novel)|Triplanetary]]'', a "tractor beam" from an artificial planetoid captures another vessel and a damsel in distress adventure ensues.
** Space armor with a general focus on melee combat using space axes.
** Norlaminian worship of "the all-controlling Force" along with general use of "force" powers throughout.
** A ''Golden Meteor'' is the emblem and insignia of the galactic protectors.
** A galactic trade in drugs which are used as currency: Thionite in Smith, Spice in ''Star Wars''.
** A galactic corps of heroes with telepathic powers. (Note: ''Lensman'' was written 10 years before the Silver Age edition of [[Green Lantern]])
** Benevolent guardians seeking to fight evil.  (Called ''Arisians'' in ''Lensman''; ''Aquillian'' in the second draft script for ''Star Wars''.)
** A dark, unseen enemy seeking galactic domination.  (Called ''Boskone'' in ''Lensman''; ''Bogan'' in the second draft script for ''Star Wars''.)
** Special powers running down through family lines, with twins playing a significant role.
** Epic space battles involving fleets of ships.
** Large-scale weapons including a free-roaming planet-sized fortress<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=E.E.|title=Gray Lensman |url=https://archive.org/details/graylensman00smit|url-access=registration|publisher = Pyramid Books|location = New York|date = 1970}}</ref> and the ''sunbeam''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=E.E.|title=Second Stage Lensman|url=https://archive.org/details/secondstagelensm00eedo_0 |url-access=registration|publisher = Panther|date = 1973|isbn=9780586038468}}</ref> (capable of focusing the sun's rays, similar to Starkiller Base in ''[[The Force Awakens]]'').
** Jettisoning a space lifeboat with a data spool containing secrets of the enemy's ultimate weapon, the 'Grand Base'.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.moongadget.com/origins/doc.html|title=Star Wars Origins - E. E. "Doc" Smith and Space Opera|website=moongadget.com|access-date=6 November 2017}}</ref>
** Training with a helmet with a blast shield, yet able to 'see' due to special powers.<ref name="auto"/>
** Passing a ship off as a chunk of loose metal.<ref name="auto"/>
** Numerous uses of the word ''[[wiktionary:coruscant|coruscant]]'', a term which had declined in use after the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?year_start=1800&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=7&case_insensitive=on&content=coruscant&direct_url=t4%3B%2Ccoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bcoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCORUSCANT%3B%2Cc0|title=Google Ngram Viewer|website=books.google.com|access-date=6 November 2017}}</ref>
* The science fiction writer [[Isaac Asimov]] stated on several occasions that George Lucas's galaxy-wide [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Empire]] bore a close resemblance to the galaxy depicted in Asimov's [[Foundation Series]]. The greatest differences are that Asimov's Galaxy contains almost no robots and no non-human aliens. Asimov addressed both issues directly in the saga's later volumes, most notably ''[[Foundation's Edge]]'' and ''[[Foundation and Earth]]''. Since Asimov's death in 1992, the ''Star Wars'' cinematic universe has gained new Asimovesque elements: ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' introduced the planet [[Coruscant]], which bears a close resemblance to Asimov's [[Trantor]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
* The early ''Journal of the Whills'' draft of ''Star Wars'' from 1973 is based on the first chapter of the 1931 [[John Carter of Mars|John Carter]] novel ''[[A Fighting Man of Mars]]'' by [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ostermeier |first=Ben |date=2022 |title=Script Context |url=https://exhibits.library.illinois.edu/s/rbml/page/script-context |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116024429/https://exhibits.library.illinois.edu/s/rbml/page/script-context |archive-date=16 November 2022 |access-date=16 November 2022 |website=Illinois University Library}}</ref>
* ''Star Wars'' borrows significantly from [[Arthurian mythology]]; especially with respect to plot and main character development. The life and character development of [[Luke Skywalker]] resembles that of the legendary [[King Arthur]]. Both are orphans who later become heroes in their early adulthood. Both also have mentors who are much older and provide them with guidance and/or training. Arthur was mentored by [[Merlin]]; whereas Luke was mentored and trained by [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] prior to continuing his training and mentorship with [[Yoda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/4407.html|title=FREE Luke Skywalker vs. King Arthur Essay|work=exampleessays.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/vi/knight_1192/SW/SW_theories/SWAL.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129071707/http://www.angelfire.com/vi/knight_1192/SW/SW_theories/SWAL.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 29, 2014|title=Star Wars/Arthurian Legend Comparison Tale|work=[[Angelfire]]}}</ref><ref name="LupackLupack2001">{{cite book|author1=Alan Lupack|author2=Barbara Tepa Lupack|title=King Arthur in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-k6mg3zM24QC&pg=PA324|year=2001|publisher=Boydell & Brewer|isbn=978-0-85991-630-1|pages=324–}}</ref> The role of [[Anakin Skywalker]] as the father of the hero, Luke Skywalker, mirrors that of [[Uther Pendragon]] who is King Arthur's father. [[Qui Gon-Jinn]], Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi's roles match that of Merlin during the era of Anakin Skywalker and Uther Pendragon respectively.<ref name="SmithBrown2008">{{cite book|author1=Evans Lansing Smith|author2=Nathan Robert Brown|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-RsCs5dJRwC&pg=PA303|year=2008|publisher=Alpha Books|isbn=978-1-59257-764-4|pages=303–}}</ref>
* ''Star Wars'' shares many similarities with [[Frank Herbert]]'s ''[[Dune (franchise)|Dune]]'',<ref>{{cite web|first = Andrew|last = Liptak |url= https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/frank-herberts-epic-dune-series/|title=Frank Herbert's Epic Dune Series|work=Kirkus Reviews |date = 17 July 2014}}</ref> including the [[desert planet]] setting with a moisture-based economy, spice smugglers, obese interstellar antagonists, and a mystical [[Brainwashing|mind control]]-using sect with great influence over galactic politics — Herbert himself once enumerated 37 similarities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/07853-dune-david-lynch-bfi-season|title=The Quietus - Opinion - In Defence Of... - Wild Sting: In Defence Of Dune|work=The Quietus|date=January 30, 2012 }}</ref> The influence was even more distinct in early ''Star Wars'' versions, with Princess Leia guarding a shipment of "aura spice" instead of the Death Star plans. The script for ''[[Jodorowsky's Dune]]'' was circulating in Hollywood at the time of Lucas' early work on ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moongadget.com/origins/dune.html|title=Star Wars Origins - Frank Herbert's Dune|work=moongadget.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/how-dune-almost-prevented-star-wars-from-ever-being/|title=How 'Dune' almost prevented 'Star Wars' from ever being|first=Chris|last=Kensler|work=Fox News|date=March 25, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/q-a-jodorowskys-dune-explores-690348|title=Q&A: 'Jodorowsky's Dune' Explores the Unmade Space Epic That Paved the Way for 'Star Wars'|first=Chris|last=O'Falt|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 26, 2014}}</ref> The director of the [[Dune (2021 film)|2021 movie adaptation]] of ''Dune'', [[Denis Villeneuve]], said the new movie would attempt to be ''Star Wars'' for adults.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/dune-remake-star-wars-for-adults-denis-villeneuve/|title = Dune Remake Will be "Star Wars for Adults," Denis Villeneuve Says|date = January 19, 2018}}</ref>

====Pulp heroes and comics====
*[[Buck Rogers]], another hero from pulp magazines from 1920s, and late comic strips (1929–67) and later a [[Buck Rogers (serial)|1939 film serial]] and a 1950–51 TV series. ''Star Wars'' also influenced from its [[Trope (literature)|tropes]].<ref name="Dreams"/><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
[[File:Poster - Flash Gordon (Chapter 13, Rocketing to Earth) 03.jpg|thumb|The classic science fiction film serial ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' served as an inspiration for ''Star Wars''.]]
*[[Flash Gordon]] is the pulp hero whose original property which George Lucas had sought to license before making the first ''Star Wars'' film, ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|A New Hope]]''; the film includes many elements derived from the 1936 Universal serial ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]''. The basic plot involving the infiltration of a megalomaniacal outer-space Emperor's fortress by two heroes disguised in uniforms of soldiers of his army is drawn from ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'', with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo filling the roles of [[Flash Gordon]] and [[Prince Barin]], respectively, and [[Ming the Merciless]] the Emperor. The Emperor's deadly, hostile planet (the [[Death Star]]/[[Mongo (planet)|Mongo]]), a sometimes scantily-clad brunette space Princess whom the hero defends ([[Princess Leia]]/[[Princess Aura]]), a big, strong, hairy, animal-like ally ([[Chewbacca]]/[[Prince Thun]] of the Lion Men), a fearsome monster found underground and/or fought in an arena by the hero (the Rancor/the Gocko or Orangopoid), a city in the sky ruled by someone who originally works with the villains but later joins the heroes ([[Lando Calrissian]] of Cloud City), ray-guns, and dogfighting spaceships were all elements retained from the first Universal Flash Gordon serial. The opening text crawl of Star Wars is in the same style as the text openings of each chapter of the ''Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe'' serial.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref> [From the 1940 series, not 1936, and the opening crawl is from the movie [[Boys' School|Les Disparus de Saint-Agil]]].
*[[DC Comics]] and [[Jack Kirby]]. There has been a long debate among fans about the influence that [[comic book]] writer [[Jack Kirby]] had on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/dynamics/2010/12/18/kirby-lucas-and-campbell/|title=Kirby, Lucas, and Campbell|work=Kirby Dynamics|first = Rob|last = Steibel|date = 18 December 2010}}</ref> Kirby's time at [[DC Comics]] between [[Jack Kirby#DC Comics and the Fourth World saga|1971 and 1975]] was defined by his creation of the [[New Gods]] saga. This [[Intergalactic space|intergalactic]] story involved the New God, [[Orion (comics)|Orion]] of the planet [[New Genesis]], being prophesied by the [[Source (comics)|Source]] as the warrior to defeat [[Darkseid]] - the tyrannical ruler of the planet [[Apokolips]], and, by doing so, bring peace to the universe and end the conflict between the two planets. Unknown to Orion was that he was the son of the evil Darkseid. Parallels can thus be drawn between the nature of the relationships between Orion and Darkseid to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, as well as between the mythical Source and [[the Force]]. According to some accounts, Lucas met comic book writer and editor [[Roy Thomas]] at a dinner in 1972, during which Lucas described the plot of ''Star Wars'', to which Thomas noticed the similarity between this and Kirby's New Gods, which was then already a published series. John Williams who made the iconic ''Star Wars'' soundtracks since 1977, also did the soundtrack for the first ''Superman'' movie in 1978.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ro|first=Ronin|title=Tales To Astonish : Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|year=2004|isbn=1-58234-345-4|page=199}}</ref>
*[[Marvel Comics]]:  Lucas original trilogy co-writer [[Lawrence Kasdan]] noted that the spin-offs were expanding the franchise into more of a [[shared universe]]. Far beyond the previously linear saga, adding that one of the strengths of the franchise was how it all fell under the same continuity in comparison to other franchises. Kasdan also contrasted ''Star Wars'' to the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]], noting that ''Star Wars'' features less [[comedy]] than the latter, and adding that he felt a more comedic approach like Marvel's ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' would "not be ''Star Wars''" to him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/05/star-wars-franchise-humor-tone-1201965443/|title='Star Wars': Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan on Why the Franchise Isn't Ready for a 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Tone|first1=Kate|last1=Erbland|date=May 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/marvel-cinematic-universe-why-is-it-one-works-1096504|title=Can Anyone Besides Marvel Make a Cinematic Universe Work?|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 29, 2018}}</ref>
**Jon Favreau stated that he took what he learned from doing the Marvel adjacent ''Iron Man'' movies into doing ''The Mandalorian'' and ''Boba Fett''  in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, all these characters rely on metallic, high-tech armors that can fly and fire weapons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vary |first1=Adam B. |title=How Disney and Lucasfilm Are Remaking Star Wars in the Image of Marvel Studios |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/disney-star-wars-marvel-studios-1234866986/ |website=Variety |date=19 December 2020}}</ref>

====[[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''====
{{further |Works inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien#Film|Themes of The Lord of the Rings|The Lord of the Rings: film versus book}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Chris Taylor's comparison of ''[[Star Wars film|Star Wars]]'' with ''The Lord of the Rings''<ref name="Taylor 2014"/>
|-
! Element !! ''Star Wars'' 1977 !! ''The Lord of the Rings'' 1954–55
|-
| Wise old man || [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]]<br/>sacrifices himself fighting Darth Vader,<br/>then guides [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] through [[the Force]] || [[Gandalf]]<br/>dies saving Fellowship from the [[Balrog]],<br/>then guides Frodo telepathically
|-
| Innocent<br/>protagonists || [[Artoo]] and [[Threepio]],<br/>carrying stolen data tapes,<br/>supported by the team || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]],<br/>carrying the [[One Ring]],<br/>supported by the [[Fellowship of the Ring (characters)|Fellowship]]
|-
| "Hellish war machine" || [[Death Star]] || [[Mordor]]
|-
| Enemy troops || [[Stormtrooper (Star Wars)|Stormtroopers]] || [[Orc]]s
|-
| Evil wizard || [[Grand Moff Tarkin]] || [[Saruman]]
|-
| Dark Lord || [[Darth Vader]] || [[Sauron]]
|}
[[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s 1937 ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and 1954–55 ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' novels inspired George Lucas's creation of ''Star Wars'' in 1977. An early draft for the 1977 ''Star Wars'' film is said to have included an exchange of dialogue between [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Luke Skywalker]] taken directly from the conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo in Chapter 1 of ''The Hobbit'', where Bilbo/Luke says "Good morning!" and Gandalf/Kenobi replies asking whether he means he's having a good morning, or is wishing him one, or that all mornings are good. Bilbl/Luke answers "All of them at once".<ref name="Taylor 2014">{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Chris |title=Secrets of the "Star Wars" drafts: Inside George Lucas' amazing -- and very different -- early scripts |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/10/03/secrets_of_the_star_wars_drafts_inside_george_lucas_amazing_and_very_different_early_scripts/ |website=Salon.com |access-date=22 May 2021 |date=4 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="Taylor 2015">{{cite book |last=Taylor |first=Chris | title=How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: the past, present, and future of a multibillion dollar franchise |publisher=Head of Zeus |publication-place=London |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-78497-047-5 |oclc=951149431}}</ref><ref name="starwars.com">{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Bryan |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: The Lord of the Rings |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-the-lord-of-the-rings |website=Star Wars |date=13 March 2016}}</ref> The plagiarised dialogue was dropped, but the monk-like Kenobi was modelled on Gandalf; the film author Chris Taylor identifies several further elements of ''Star Wars'' that in his view could have been modelled on Middle-earth.<ref name="Taylor 2014"/>

While doing a ''Star Wars'' animated series, [[Dave Filoni]] noted that Peter Jackson visited him and his mentor George Lucas to discuss Tolkien's works and to ask for advice. According to the ''Star Wars'' website, Darth Vader is compared by Filoni to the Balrog rather than Sauron, and the [[Prancing Pony]] bar may have inspired the [[Mos Eisley]] cantina, with the introduction of Han Solo suggestively matching that of Strider (Aragorn). As for the prequel trilogy, it notes that Saruman influenced Count Dooku (both are portrayed by [[Christopher Lee]] in the respective movies), and volcanic Mordor, whether Tolkien's or Jackson's, influenced the volcanic planet Mustafar.<ref name="starwars.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/loving-the-hobbit-building-the-clone-wars|title = Loving the Hobbit, Building the Clone Wars|date = December 14, 2012}}</ref>

George R. R. Martin acknowledged Tolkien influenced his ''Game of Thrones'' TV series and novels about medieval fantasy, while speaking about a movie about Tolkien's life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-george-r-r-martin-lord-of-the-rings-20190509-story.html|title = George R.R. Martin said 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy influenced 'Game of Thrones'|website = [[Chicago Tribune]]| date=May 9, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/19/15-fantasy-movies-and-tv-shows-that-owe-their-existence-to-lord-of-the-rings|title = 15 Fantasy Movies and TV Shows That Owe Their Existence to the Lord of the Rings Films - IGN|date = December 19, 2016}}</ref> Jon Favreau mentioned ''Game of Thrones'' as an influence on ''The Mandalorian''{{'}}s second season.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/mandalorian-season-2-first-look/|title = 'The Mandalorian' exclusive: An inside look at season 2|magazine = [[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' / ''Game of Thrones'' (1996 – present) has been compared to ''Star Wars''. This is most commonly through the characters of Luke Skywalker and Jaime Lannister, due to both being sword-fighters who lose their hands in duels, while being knights sworn to celibacy, and also due to their incestuous relationships to their respective sisters, Leia and Cersei (though Luke and Leia were unaware of being siblings, and the Lannisters have children). Both feature mothers who died at child-birth (''[[A Game of Thrones]]'' was written before the release of ''Revenge of the Sith''), and arguably evil fathers (though Luke and Leia weren't raised by him). Captain Phasma has also been compared as weaker than Brienne of Tharth, due to both sharing the same actress. Many people were in both franchises.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-game-thrones-actors-appear-characters/|title = Here's Every Game of Thrones Actor in Star Wars|website = [[Screen Rant]]|date = July 31, 2020}}</ref> Both franchises feature important fights on throne rooms, with Emperor Palpatine's throne being compared to the Iron Throne, though Martin's works are far more violent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shortlist.com/news/star-wars-vs-game-of-thrones-the-ultimate-showdown|title='Star Wars' vs 'Game of Thrones': The ultimate showdown|date=February 8, 2018}}</ref>